EU Interior Ministers Agree in Principle to Relocate 120 000 Migrants

EU interior ministers have adopted a plan by the European Commission to relocate 40 000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy to other Member States over the next 2 years.

Ministers have also agreed in principle on the second package to relocate another 120 000 from Italy, Greece, and Hungary, though the decision will not be taken before a new ministerial meeting on October 8, the Luxembourg Presidency has said.

“This decision establishes a temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline member states Italy and Greece to other member states. It will apply to persons in clear need of international protection who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of those member states as from August 15, 2015 until September 16, 2017,” the European Union said in a statement.

Denmark and the United Kingdom are not participating in this decision.

EU countries participating in the mechanism will receive a lump sum of EUR 6000 per relocated person.